SJX is closed for now…and until we get permission from the county and state to open up.This is a difficult time for all of us, but we will make it and come out even stronger.I will be blogging frequently during this time. We will have linksto videos Coach Cristan has been working on, along with updates on

Each one of these traits deserves a blog post (or a chapter in a book) but here I'd like to go over them briefly.

Intrinsic Desire to PlayThere's two parts to this.

First, the desire has to come from within. If parents or coaches have to bribe the athlete to come to practice then it's not going to work. They will either quit or be miserable.

No one wants that.

Kids have to want to be there. That way they learn how to self-motivate. They feel they are part of the team...not being forced to play.

I think the coaches at SJX do a good job of bringing this out in the team. It always is something to work on.

The other part of this is "play". The athletes have to like it and have fun. If it becomes work, it becomes boring. Again, this is not what you want for your athletes or child to feel.

Fortunately, water polo by nature is fun. We hope the kids on our team have fun and learn. That way they will continue to play through high school...and beyond.

2. Resilience ​​Resilience is the ability to come back from failure, frustration and disappointment. It is something that the best performers have in countless endeavors.

We will all experience failure. It is the ability to come back which is key to success. We can't be afraid of failure. We have to be willing to take chances and then come back.

I find this very relevant with the Corona virus right now. How will our team, our sport, our community come back? We all must be resilient!

3. Part of a TeamIt is one thing to do something just for yourself. It is another to do it for others.

When kids feel they are part of a team, they will sacrifice more and work harder. The team will support them and encourage them to do their best.

We want our San Jose Express water polo players to feel that they are part of a team. They are part of a tribe of people that have come together to work towards the goal of being better athletes, people and players.

4. CommunicateThere are two parts to communication. The first is very practical.

To play water polo you have to talk to each other!

Most of the time your face is underwater. Your lungs are screaming at you as you're working. There's water in your eyes and some guy is dragging you underwater.

If your teammate doesn't shout out loud that you're about to receive a pass, it's most likely that you won't be able to catch it!

The other part of this is that kids have to communicate with their coaches and even their parents. Issues come up. You need to be able to express yourself.